Arts & Entertainment Community

It takes a village to raise a Christmas tree

Before the city had an official Christmas tree, the Vincent Skansie family won the first Gig Harbor Chamber of Commerce outdoor tree decorating contest in 1949. So many things have changed since that time, but the sentiment of the holiday season is the same.

Each year, the Christmas tree takes center stage for a short time at Skansie Brothers Park. The 30 to 35-foot tall Tanenbaum provides much-needed festive light for pedestrians and commuters along Harborview Drive, as well as boaters.

The fully lit city of Gig Harbor Christmas tree, as seen from across the harbor. Photo by Chapin Day

According to Stephanie Lile, curator and director of the Harbor History Museum, the city’s Christmas tree is likely in the same spot the original winning tree stood, or at least very close.

The city has put up a tree at Skansie Brothers Park to celebrate the holidays for more than 20 years. The city acquired the Skansie property in 2002.

“The tree has always been a city project,” said Jeff Olsen, assistant public works director. He been involved in the seasonal project in each of the the 22 years he’s worked for the city. “We get direction from the council, mayor and city administrator, and we make it happen.”

Tree comes from JBLM

Joint Base Lewis McChord once again provided the tree. Planning begins each August, when Olsen and others from the city travel to JBLM to look for the right tree. He said JBLM has supplied the tree since he was hired, except when they were unable to find a good tree there in 2023. That year the tree came from a farm in Shelton.

“We go out there and they give us an area to look for a tree,” he said. “They have been generous, and have added more area for us to look. It’s getting harder to find a tree that works out there. Sometimes you think you’ve found one, and then the whole back side is barren. It’s a challenge to find one in good presentation.”

If they find a good one that needs a little fluff, he said the crew will fill in the bare spots of the tree with branches from another.

City of Gig Harbor employees used a drill to re-attach limbs to the tree at Skansie Park on Wednesday, Nov. 27. Photo by Chapin Day

First they bring the tree to the park and bury it base 6 feet in the ground to stabilize it. They tie it off in specific locations in case of a wind storm, he said. Then the crew works to make it look perfect before the lights are strung.

“Every year our goal is to get the tree the Monday before Thanksgiving,” Olsen said. “The week of Thanksgiving we start working on getting it ready for decorating.”

Community effort

For years, the city rented a crane truck so public works crews can reach the top of the tree. Now Gig Harbor Tree Service lets the city use theirs, Olsen said. 

“They have a really nice crane, and they are great people to work with,” Olsen said. “Being here in the community makes it great.” 

 A crew of three places the light strands that hold between 3,000 and 4,000 multi-colored bulbs. Residents and visitors gather in anticipation each year as the tree is finally lit. 

A crew of three worked for days using a crane to get the lights placed on the Christmas Tree at Skansie Brothers Park.
Photo by Marsha Hart

Decorations placed below the tree may change from year to year. Olsen said the two constants are the nativity scene and the menorah, which the city owns. Decorations in the pavilion can vary. If they need to be replaced, someone from public works will go to a local store to purchase replacements.

“We kind of do the same decorations every year, “ he said. “Operations will make sure things look good to add to it. If we get a wind storm and it wipes them out, well, that decoration lasted a year, and we’re getting a new one next year.”

‘It’s been there all my life’

The tree will remain in place until after the New Year, but Olsen said there is no absolute date for removal. It’s all weather-dependent.

Though it is only in place for a little more than a month, he said people get attached to the tree. Many don’t realize it is a cut tree placed in the ground to look like a live one. 

“Every year in January we get a call from someone saying, ‘I can’t believe you cut the tree down in Skansie Park. It’s been there all my life,’” Olsen said. 

Crews work for two weeks to get the city’s Christmas tree ready for the annual lighting ceremony. This year’s tree is a nearly 35-foot-tree from Joint Base Lewis McChord. Photo courtesy of Lori Maricle